AMES, Ia. — When the 2018 season ended, Hakeem Butler faced a dilemma: Should he enter the NFL draft or return to Iowa State for his senior season and up his intrigue even more?

Iowa State's star wide receiver has made his decision, he told the Register: He's headed to the pros.

Butler will forgo his senior season with the Cyclones to enter the NFL draft.

"It was a very tough decision to move on to the next level and just leave behind all my friends and knowing I could have spent another year with them or played another year in college," Butler said Monday night. "It's tough. It's time to get into the real world and be a man I guess."

It's a big, but not shocking, blow to the Cyclones, who lose one of the most successful wide receivers in the program's history. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound star evolved into a human highlight reel for the Cyclones.

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Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler tries to make a reception in front of Drake defensive back Will Warner, left, during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, in Ames, Iowa. The pass fell incomplete. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) The Associated Press

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) runs from Kansas State defenders linebacker Justin Hughes (32) and defensive back Johnathan Durham (6) after making a reception during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) The Associated Press

Iowa State's Kyle Kempt (17) and Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) hug after Kempt came in to down the ball and end the game during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Ames. Iowa State would go on to win 42-38. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) can't reach a pass during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Ames. Kansas State takes a 21-14 lead into halftime. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) catches a pass during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Ames. Kansas State takes a 21-14 lead into halftime. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Brock Purdy (15) and Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) celebrate their pass completion for a touchdown making the score 6-0 during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Ames. Kansas State takes a 21-14 lead into halftime. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) catches a pass during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Ames. Kansas State takes a 21-14 lead into halftime. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State tight end Chase Allen (11) congratulates wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) on his touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) The Associated Press

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) gets away from Kansas cornerback Hasan Defense (13) while scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018. Orlin Wagner/AP

Iowa State tight end Chase Allen (11) congratulates wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) on his touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018. Orlin Wagner/AP

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) celebrates with teammate Deshaunte Jones (9) after catching a 24-yard touchdown pass in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Akron, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in Ames, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall/AP

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) dives over Akron defensive back Jordan George (7) during a 24-yard touchdown reception in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in Ames, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall/AP

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) walks off the field with teammates after an NCAA college football game against Akron, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 26-13. Charlie Neibergall/AP

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler, right, fends off Oklahoma safety Kahlil Haughton, left, to run for a first down during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 15, 2018, file photo, Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler celebrates his touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma, in Ames, Iowa. Butler had a breakout performance in last weekend's loss to Oklahoma, catching two long TDs from Zeb Noland. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney, File) The Associated Press

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) breaks a tackle after catching a pass and runs it in for a touchdown during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma would go on to win 37-27. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) breaks a tackle after catching a pass and runs it in for a touchdown during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma would go on to win 37-27. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) breaks a tackle after catching a pass and runs it in for a touchdown during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma would go on to win 37-27. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) breaks a tackle after catching a pass and runs it in for a touchdown during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma would go on to win 37-27. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) breaks a tackle after catching a pass and runs it in for a touchdown during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma would go on to win 37-27. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) bobbles a pass during their football game against Oklahoma at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma would go on to win 37-27. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) and Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell celebrate his touchdown to start the third quarter of their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma would go on to win 37-27. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) celebrates after scoring a touchdown to tie the game at 10 during their football game against Oklahoma at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma takes a 24-10 lead into halftime. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) breaks a tackle on his way to scoring a touchdown to tie the game at 10 during their football game against Oklahoma at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma takes a 24-10 lead into halftime. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) makes runs it in for a touchdown to start the third quarter of their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma would go on to win 37-27. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) celebrates with Iowa State's Julian Good-Jones (51) after scoring a touchdown to tie the game at 10 during their football game against Oklahoma at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma takes a 24-10 lead into halftime. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State's Hakeem Butler (18) breaks a tackle on his way to scoring a touchdown to tie the game at 10 during their football game against Oklahoma at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Ames. Oklahoma takes a 24-10 lead into halftime. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) and Iowa State defensive end Spencer Benton (58) carry out the flags Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, at the start of their game against South Dakota State at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. Michael Zamora/The Register

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler, left, is wrapped up by South Dakota State safety Joshua Manchigiah during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney) The Associated Press

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) reaches for the goal line but is knocked out of bounds at the 3-yard line by Memphis defensive back Austin Hall in the second half of the Liberty Bowl NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) The Associated Press

Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) can't come up with a pass during the first half of their football game against Oklahoma State at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, in Ames. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State sophomore wide receiver Hakeem Butler poses for a portrait during the Iowa State football team media day at Bergstrom Indoor Practice Facility on the Iowa State campus in Ames on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

owa State Cyclones wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) steps out of bounds on a catch and run during the second half of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017, in Memphis, Tennessee. ISU defeated Memphis 21-20. Rodney White/The Register

Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) runs away from Memphis defenders Tim Hart (35) and Jonathan Cook (14) as Butler runs for a touchdown on a 52-yard pass play in the first half of the Liberty Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) The Associated Press

Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) talks with Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Kyle Kempt (17) during the first half of their football game against Oklahoma State at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, in Ames. Brian Powers/The Register

Texas Tech defensive back Vaughnte Dorsey interferes with Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler in the second quarter giving Iowa a first down during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017, at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Mark Rogers/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal via AP) The Associated Press

Iowa State redshirt sophomore wide receiver Hakeem Butler (18) catches a pass during the first half of their football game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, in Ames. Brian Powers/The Register

Iowa State sophomore wide receiver Hakeem Butler poses for a portrait during the Iowa State football team media day at Bergstrom Indoor Practice Facility on the Iowa State campus in Ames on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Butler was buried behind a group of talented wide receivers early in his career. He grabbed nine passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns in 2016. He followed, though, with a breakout season in 2017, tallying 41 receptions for 697 yards and seven touchdowns.

With Allen Lazard gone to the NFL in 2018, Butler had the stage to himself. He didn't disappoint, grabbing a team-high 60 receptions and nine touchdown catches while setting a single-season school record for receiving yards (1,318).

Butler finished his career with 110 receptions for 2,149 yards and 18 touchdowns in 37 games. His 2,149 receiving yards ranks fourth in school history. Butler's 110 career receptions ranks 14th. But he won’t be adding to those totals now that he's decided to make the jump to the NFL.

"I feel like I"m the best receiver in the draft honestly," Butler said

You can't blame Butler for making this leap. A mock draft by CBS Sports had Butler projected for the first round. NFL teams love his big frame. And over the years, he compiled a long list of incredible, acrobatic catches.